S3542

An Act establishing a grant program for spotted lanternfly control, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Division of Plant Industry in the Department of Agriculture, established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1945, c.204 (C.4:1-17), under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a program to provide grants to municipalities in the State for spotted lanternfly control. Grant awards totaling an amount not to exceed $5 million shall be awarded under the program.

b. In establishing the grant program pursuant to this section, the Division of Plant Industry shall:

(1) develop guidelines and procedures for the submission of applications by municipalities to receive a grant from the program;

(2) establish criteria for a municipality to qualify for a grant from the program;

(3) establish a system to prioritize grants to municipalities, in greatest need, that: are located in spotted lanternfly quarantine zones as designated by the Department of Agriculture; have incurred damages caused by spotted lanternflies; have demonstrated widespread infestations among buildings located within the municipality; or have native vegetation that is threatened by spotted lanternflies; and

(4) designate acceptable uses for the grants, including, but not limited to: the inspection of buildings located within a municipality for infestations; the use of extermination services; and the engagement in remediation activities.

c. The Division of Plant Industry shall develop and recommend to all municipalities in the State: best practices to be applied in quarantine zones to prevent the spread of spotted lanternflies, and best practices regarding the means and methods that are used to find, control, and destroy spotted lanternflies.

2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Plant Industry in the Department Agriculture the sum of $5 million to be used for the purposes of providing grants to municipalities pursuant to section 1 of this act.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would require the Division of Plant Industry in the Department of Agriculture, under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, to establish a program to provide grants to municipalities in the State for spotted lanternfly control. Under the program, the Division of Plant Industry would:

(1) develop guidelines and procedures for the submission of applications by municipalities to receive a program grant;

(2) establish criteria for a municipality to qualify for a program grant;

(3) establish a system to prioritize the issuance of grants to municipalities, in greatest need, that: are located in spotted lanternfly quarantine zones as designated by the Department of Agriculture; have incurred damages caused by spotted lanternflies; have demonstrated widespread infestations among buildings located within the municipality; or have native vegetation that is threatened by spotted lanternflies; and

The bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to be used for the grant program established pursuant to the bill.